Code RED
by The Ocean Is My Inkwell
Summary: A Percachel/Percabeth one-shot. Snoopings and discoveries. Friends and lovebirds. A conflict and, ultimately, a resolution. Rated T for thematic and dramatic elements. FINISHED.


**Okay, this is my first fanfic ever using Mr. Rick Riordan's original characters as my main players, so I will accept all flames, criticism, advice, and praise. Thanks!**

**Author's Note: This is all Annabeth Chase's point of view.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own PJO. Don't own PJO. Don't own PJO. Say, isn't that exactly why we're all writing fanfiction?**

_Code R.E.D._

I glanced half-nervously, half-impatiently at my watch. "Are you sure he's coming this way? We've been standing here at this corner like a pair of idiots for nearly two hours!"

Grover shifted and bleated in apprehension as he sensed my anger starting to simmer. He gnawed at a spare soda can in apprehension. "Trust me on this, Annabeth!" he pleaded. "I know him. And Juniper is a very reliable informer. She told me all about it."

I sighed and rolled my eyes, tapping my foot. "And what is it exactly that you want to prove to me by sneaking up on Percy when he's supposed to be out buying _milk_ for his mom?"

"Oh, everything, everything," brayed Grover assuringly. "Maybe not something exactly good, but I'm hoping matters will all be fixed up today. That's, mind you…er…_hopefully_…"

"And what were you saying about the codes?" I asked half-heartedly.

Grover brightened somewhat and clicked his hoofs together in excitement. "It's Code Blue if he's alone, Code Grey if he's with his mom, and Code R.E.D. if he's with _her_."

"Who?" I demanded.

"Why, Rachel Elizabeth Dare," Grover exclaimed, somewhat appalled at my lack of intuition. "That's why I call it Code R.E.D.—they're her initials."

I gasped. "So that's what you've been up to!"

"Shush! Code Red! Code Red!" he bleated, and hastily shoved me into the shadows of an alley conveniently situated right on the curb between two deserted, shuttered shops. "Just be quiet and listen! Here he comes!"

Bewildered and seeing I had no other choice but to obey, I ducked after him into the dark, narrow passageway and leaned out just far enough to hear footsteps approaching, but not far enough for my stray blonde curls to flap in the wind and be seen.

In a moment I caught sight of an all too familiar raven head, paired with bright, energetic sea green eyes and a tall body that had grown quite a lot since I had last seen it. Percy's step was springy and quick, but I could tell by the way he glanced nervously about him that he was not very happy about his present circumstances.

He was immediately followed by a shorter, slimmer, feminine figure topped with frizzy flaming hair and keen jade eyes and cheeks sprayed with light freckles. She was the first to speak. "Percy? Why are we here?"

"Look, uh…it's something, well, confidential," Percy stammered. "I didn't want to…you know…let other people know about it."

I suppressed a sigh of exasperation. Oh, how it sounded just like Seaweed Brain.

"About what?" pressed Rachel. "Out with it!"

Percy took a long, deep breath. The next words that poured out of that blabbermouth of his brought an irrepressible flush of scarlet to the tips of his ears. "Rachel," he began flat out, "Annabeth thinks I love you, and she's becoming very jealous."

Good old Kelp Head, I thought sarcastically. Right, better make a straight face of it all.

Rachel started violently. Her hazel-green eyes flashed wildly. "But—but why? You and I both know—"

"I know, we know," interrupted Percy. The sweat broke out on his brow—he must have been getting really stressed out. "But she doesn't understand. She thinks that, like the fishstick that I am, I'm not loyal to her."

"But you are, aren't you?" said Rachel hastily.

Percy bit his lip. Poor guy, all of a sudden I was starting to feel sorry for him. He looked like a little boy again about to cry.

"I don't know, I'm all confused," he said, his voice rising. "I think I love her, but…" He broke off, as if hoping Rachel would figure out what he really meant to say.

Rachel sighed. "But I don't have any—any romantic feelings toward you, Percy. I always thought we were just…friends."

Percy nodded, his sea green eyes glistening like deep crystalline pools. "I guess…I was just hoping, but also…not hoping…" He shrugged and turned his face away.

Rachel ran a hand through her unruly scarlet waves. "Look, Perseus Jackson, one and only living son of Poseidon. I'm sorry if I disappointed you. But that's just how I feel, and I can't hide what I feel. I want you to be happy together with Annabeth. I've always known that you just belong with her. I mean, like, I'm only a mortal! Couldn't you…you know…think of me just as a friend? Or even a sister?"

I glanced sideways at Grover, who was devouring the scene with keen interest. All my hopes hung breathlessly on that next word Percy would say aloud.

For an interminable moment, Percy was silent.

Suddenly he turned back, a new light shining in his eyes. He returned Rachel's steady gaze with every ounce of his short-term focus (putting it realistically). He breathed deeply and sighed. "I think…I can."

For the first time since the beginning of their meeting, Rachel broke into a beautiful smile that graced the fieriness of her tresses. At that moment I felt a twinge of innocent envy for her mortal beauty. I wondered inside if Percy would later regret his decision.

The two shared a long look of tenderness. Then Percy suddenly stuck out his hand. "Thanks for coming with me today, Rachel," he said awkwardly. "I'm glad…that everything got sorted out. You know." Here he shrugged, and he was back to his old Seaweed Brain manners.

Rachel grinned good-naturedly and pumped his hand up and down vigorously. "No prob," she piped. "I hope you feel okay."

He nodded and shrugged again, shuffling bashfully. "Yeah, well…I guess I will. I get over stuff pretty easily, I guess. That's what my mom says. Well, anyway, Mom will be wondering where I am…"

Rachel threw back her head and laughed. "Go on, Kelp Head! Buy the milk, or your mom will think you've gone out _dating_! And—and don't forget your history homework!" she called over her shoulder as she walked away backwards. "Just gimme a ring if you need help on the essay!" She waved, just like a good old friend, and disappeared round the corner.

Percy waved back with a small smile and shoved his hands in his pockets, breathing a huge sigh that flapped a stray lock of jet black hair from his eyes. Then he began to wander slowly down the sidewalk toward the grocery store.

I glared at Grover to get the message clearly across for him to be quiet. Then I quickly ran down the alley to the other side of the shops, cut across the deserted back lot, and emerged onto the main road again from around the corner. I breathed deeply and tried my best to walk at a normal pace, but still I couldn't contain my excitement. I gasped and half-laughed as I crashed into a warm body of jersey cloth and musty jeans.

Percy started back, almost terrified at my sudden appearance. He stammered and blushed and groped for words.

"There you are!" I cried, as naturally as I could fake it. "I've been looking for you, Seaweed Brain!"

He breathed a nearly inaudible sigh of relief and grinned. "I need to go get milk for Mom," he explained, rather truthfully. "Want to come?"

"Sure!"

We walked on down the now busy sidewalk through downtown in some sort of happy yet moody silence; I glanced up at him from time to time, wondering what he was thinking.

Suddenly he stopped just as we reached the door of the dairy store. He pulled me aside from the people rushing all around and shifted his gaze to look down at me. Shyly he reached down for a curl of my light gold hair from my side ponytail and twisted it around his finger.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Grover scudding along the curb at a rapid pace in the direction of camp. I ignored him and met Percy's gaze. I smiled.

"Annabeth," he began somewhat hesitantly, "do you think…I…love someone else?"

I feigned confusion. "Like…?"

"Uh…like red-haired mortals," he filled in clumsily.

I laughed softly. "Of course not. That's a silly notion. Why would you, anyway?"

He shrugged and laughed also, as if secretly expressing his relief. "I never would," he declared firmly. Suddenly he boldly reached around my back and twined his arms round my tiny waist. "And that's because I love you."

I could hardly believe what was happening. Was it true? He was actually, truly saying it? He loved me? I could hardly look at him in embarrassment.

Suddenly I jerked my head up again and locked my stormy grey eyes with his beautiful, strong green ones. I said softly, "So do I."

And then, as if we knew each other's exact thoughts, we drew closer to each other in perfect timing and tilted our heads nearer. I could smell the salt of the sea in his hair as he bent down to meet my own face; I could feel his strong, steady breath on my skin.

Our lips met.

I pulled closer and lost myself in this wonderful, undulating sea of perfect bliss. I swayed and matched the gentle intensity of his kiss. And I closed my eyes, no longer caring about anything else in the whole world—not even the ocean of distant passersby parting around us slowly like a curtain, falling back together, and sweeping past into the mist.

***Dances around in excitement* Review, review, review! Please! **

**For those of you who want to know, I am actually an avid Percianca (Percy\Bianca) fan, not Percabeth! I just posted this because I thought it would be a respectable tribute to the Percy Jackson fandom if remained faithful to Mr. Riordan's original plan of "Percabeth forever." And I thought it was a cute idea, anyway.**

**This is my very first fanfic describing a kiss, and I did it by myself, so if it seems strange to you, you'll excuse my inexperience! Anyhow, I hope you liked it! If it sucks, please tell me. But if you love it, please tell me also! **


End file.
